Safety-reservoir and compensator for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to gas-engines



(No Model.)

W. W."GRA1 IT. SAFETY RESERVOIR AND GOMPBNSATOR FOR SUPPLY'ING LIQUID HYDROGARBON T0 GAS ENGINES.

No. 511,694. emented Dec. 26, 1893.

W|TNESSES INVENTDFk ilwrrnn STATES XVILLIAM VALLACE GRAN",

Parent Orrrcn.

OI BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

SAFETY-RESERVOIR AND COMPENSATOR-FOR SUPPLYING LIQUID HYDROCARBON T0 GAS-ENGlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,694, dated December 26, 1893.

Application filed February 7,1 8 93- Serial No. 461, 890. (No model.)

especially for employment in feeding gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon to a gas engine, a safety supply apparatus comprising a main reservoir and a compensator or regulating chamber in which compensator is prescribed a maximum level for the liquid hydrocarbon, or like circulating liquid, above whichit will not rise although the main supply reservoir be very considerably elevated above said level, and whereby the feeding of the liquid during the time of its consumption by the engine will be progressively, uniformlyand automatically maintained until the whole of the liquid in the main supply reservoir has been utilized in the work of the engine.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and novel combinations of parts in an automatic safety supply apparatus for gas engines whereby admission of air to the compensator is effected without any liability to overflow or escape of liquid, vapor, or gas, as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the inventionFigure l is a vertical section of my improved safety gasoline supply apparatus showing the main supply-reservoir mounted on the top of the compensator or constructed integral therewith and communicating directly with its interior. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the main supply reservoir placed at a distance from the compensator but supported at a higher level and communicating with the compensator through a pipe or conduit which may have one end connected with the charging cock of the main reservoir.

Refering to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a main supply reservoir which may have any convenient form or shape and should be so constructed as to be absolutely proof against leakage of air or liquid material. This main reservoir lis provided, preferably near the bottom, with a charging cock 2 for inlet of gasoline or other liquid.

In the top of the reservoir 1 an air cock 3 is provided for escape of air from theinterior of the reservoir while it is being charged with gasoline, after which said air cock is to be closed andstand closed until it becomes necessary to re-charge the reservoir.

As shown in Fig. 1 the main reservoir 1 may rest upon or be constructed integral with a compensator or regulating chamber a which is at a lower level than the main reservoir. The compensator at may be of any suitable form and is adapted and designed to contain a small quantity of gasoline and superposed air.

For the purpose of establishing communication between the reservoir 1 and compensator 4 a tube 5 is provided, the lower end of which preferably depends below the desired level of gasoline in the compensator. This tube 5 may be secured in the top of the compensator in any approved manner. A bent air tube 6, having a gravity valve 7 in its outer end, is arranged to control commu nication of the atmosphere with the upper part of the compensator. The inner depending end of this tube 6 may be extended below the surface of the gasoline in the compensator, if desired. he gravity Valve 7 in the outer depending end of the air tube 6 is arranged to open upward when sufficient atmospheric pressure is exerted from Without, thus admitting air to the compensator as the level of gasoline therein falls; but when the pressure is equalized the automatic valve 7 will close by gravity and thus prevent any overflow of liquid or escape of noxious and inflammable gases, and other contents of the compensator into the atmosphere. The lower portion of the compensator 4. is to be connected by an outlet pipe 8 with a gas engine or with a gas generator or air carburetor, that may form part ofsuch engine.

As the gas engine and generator or carburetor form no part of my present invention, they need not be shown.

It will be understood that the generator or carburetor is simply an apparatus through the agency of which the vaporizing of liquid hydrocarbon and admixture of the vapor or gas with a volume of atmospheric air or other gaseous body may be effected for use in a gas engine or for other purposes.

The compensator 4 may be provided with an inlet pipe 9 for return of any excess of gasoline supplied to the generator or carburetor. If preferred, the pipe 9 could be used as a passage for gasoline from the compensator to the generator while the pipe 8 could be utilized for return of any excess so supplied; but when the gasoline is not to be returned to the compensator, but is to be consumed as withdrawn therefrom through pipe 8, then the pipe 9 may be omitted or be closed off from the apparatus.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the main supply reservoir 1 detached or placed at a distance from the compensator 4, but supported at a higher elevation than the compensator so that the gasoline can as before, feed thereto by gravity. According to this arrangement the pipe or conduit 5, will, of course, be lengthened and extended in such direction as may be required by the relatively changed location of the compensator and main supply reservoir. If desired, the cock 2 for charging the reservoir may now have the form of a three-way valve within one of whose openings is secured one end of the pipe or conduit 5, as shown in Fig. 2, so that by turning said valve in one direction communication'will be established between the reservoir and the compensator, and by turning it in the other direction, suitable connection can be made therewith for re-charging the reservoir. A screw plug 10 may be inserted in this threeway valve for greater safety and to permit cutting off communication between the reservoir and compensator when desired.

It will be observed that when the apparatus is charged with gasoline a volume of air, more or less mingled with vapor, will occupy the space in the compensator or regulating chamber above the level of the gasoline in said chamber.

To facilitate promptness in the passage of gasoline from the main supply reservoir 1 into the compensator 4, the lower depending end of the pipe or conduit 5 is preferably cut away or beveled off on one side, as shown, so that as the level of gasoline falls in the compensator bubbles of air may pass upward therefrom into the reservoir and thus permita flow of gasoline from the reservoir by gravity until the required level in the compensator is restored.

The main supply reservoir 1 has its interior sealed from atmospheric communication except as it is provided that air shall come therein from the compensator. A column of gasoline, therefore, entering the compensator through the tube or conduit 5 is balanced or held in equipoise by atmospheric pressure consequent upon the body of gasoline in the compensator closing the mouth or lower end of the tube 5 and thus for the time preventing afurther passage of air into the space above the gasoline in the main reservoir. The

cutting away of aportion of the lower end of the tube 5 is for the purpose of securing greater sensitiveness to a disturbance of equilibrium and, therefore, a quicker response in compensating the variation of level of the gasoline contained in the compensatoror regulating chamber.

Since the gasoline is to pass by gravity from the main supply reservoir 1 into the compensator 4, it follows that such supply reservoir should have its bottom rest upon a plane not below the upper surface level of the gasoline and preferably not below the upper level of the air space in the top of the compensator. Nor should the upper level of the gasoline contained in the main supply reservoir attain a height greater, but preferably less, than thirty feet above the level of the gasolinein the compensator. These conditions being observed, the apparatus may be placed at any point remote from the engine, according as safety or circumstances might suggest, and with these requirements fulfilled and the engine at rest, that is to say, not in operation, the gasoline in the compensatort will remain at a level which is constant butwhen the engine is in operation there prevails a constantly recurring variation of said level for the reason that the consumption of gasoline for supplying the engine cylinder reduces the volume of gasoline in the compensator 4 until its level falls below the topmost point of the cut or side opening in the tube 5, whereupon a passage for air being thus provided, an interchange of volumes in the compensator and main reservoir will take place as follows: A bubble or bubbles of air from the air space in the compensator will enter the tube 5 and passing upward through the gasoline, reach the vacuum or space above the gasoline level in the main supply reservoir. Simultaneously a bubble or bubbles of air from the exterior atmosphere will enter the compensator through the valved air tube 6, and a volume of gasoline will pass from the main reservoir through the tube 5 into the compensator. This exchange of volumes continues until the level of gasoline in the compensator rises to a point where atmospheric communication with the interior of the tube 5 will be cut off, when for the time, equilibrium being restored, the operation of compensation will cease, to be resumed again when the level of gasoline in the compensator falls sufficiently to permit the entrance of more air into the main reservoir, which will recur at intervals as long as the engine continues in operation and the main reservoir contains gasoline to feed the compensator.

The practicability of arranging the main supply reservoir and the compensator at different points is clearly shown in Fig. 2 and the readiness with which the main reservoir or the main reservoir and integral compensator may be placed distantly from the engine, will thus be understood. By this arrangementthe danger of having a very large quantity of such combustible bodies as liquid hydrocarbons about or in direct proximity to an engine is avoided.

As the maximum height of the level of the gasoline in the compensator is prescribed, it will be readily understood how the apparatus (as in Fig.1) may be readily raised and supported, so that the level of the gasoline in the compensator and the supply pipe 8 leading therefrom may be made to correspond; whereby any desired level may be secured and automatically maintained in the supply pipe at any point below that at which overflow would follow, it the compensator were raised higher.

While I have employed the term gasoline in the foregoing description, I would have it understood that I do not restrict the use of the apparatus to that or any other particular liquid hydrocarbon.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with the main supply reservoir, of the compensator arranged at a lower level than said reservoir, a pipe or conduit for establishing communication between the reservoir and compensator, the lower depending end of said pipe being extended below the level of liquid in the compensator, an air pipe leading into the upper part of the compensator and provided with an automatic valve to permit admission of air and prevent overflow or escape of the contents of the compensator, and an outlet pipe for conducting liquid from the lower part of the compensator, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the main supply reservoir having a charging cock and air cock, and the compensator located at a lower level than said reservoir, of an air pipe leading into the upper part of the compensator and provided with an automatic valve to permit admission of air and prevent overflow or escape of the contents of the compensator, a pipe or conduit for permitting liquid to flow by gravity from the main supply reservoir into the compensator and adapted to permit the passage of air from the compensator into the main reservoir, and an outlet pipe for conducting liquid from the lower part of the compensator, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the main supply reservoir, the compensator located at a lower level than said reservoir and communicating therewith through a pipe adapted to permit the passage of air from the compensator into the reservoir to cause afiow of liquid by gravity from the reservoir into the compensator, an air pipe leading into the upper part of the compensator and provided with an automatic valve to permit admisssion of air and prevent overflow or escape of the contents of the compensator into the atmosphere, and an outlet pipe for conducting liquid from the compensator, substantially as described.

l. The combination with the main supply reservoir provided near its lower end with a charging cock for inlet of gasoline or other liquid, of the compensator arranged at a lower level than said reservoiiga pipe or conduit having one end connected with the charging cock of the main reservoir and its other end depending below the level of the liquid in the compensator to establish communication between the reservoir and compensator through said charging cock, an air inlet pipe leading into the compensator and provided with an automatic valve to prevent overflow or escape of the contents of the compensator, and a pipe for conducting liquid from the compensator, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the main supply reservoir provided with a charging cock and an air cook, the compensator located at a lower level than said reservoir, a pipe leading from the atmosphere into the upper part of the compensator and provided with an automatic valve adapted topermit the entrance of air and prevent overflow or escape of the contents of the compensator, a pipe or conduit for passage of air from the compensator into the reservoir and for permitting the flow of liquid by gravity from the reservoir into the compensator, a pipe for conducting liquid from the lower part of the compensator, and a pipe for returning liquid to the compensator, substantially as described.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 3d day of February, A. D. 1893. V

XVILLIAM WALLACE GRANT. 

